The present invention relates generally to lenticular images, and more particularly to a lenticular imaging system for viewing printed images on a printed article, the lenticular imaging system creating the illusion of three-dimensional (3-D) images moving or floating across the printed article.
Lenticular lenses and lenticular imaging systems are well known for use in producing various types of unique optical effects. A lenticular lens system generally includes a transparent sheet having a flat surface on one side thereof and a series of parallel longitudinal protrusions or ridges on the other side thereof creating a series of convex lenses on one side of the transparent sheet that may be applied to a printed sheet or substrate. The lenses are typically formed through injection moldings, extruding embossed or embossing one side of the transparent sheet.
Lenticular image products include an array of lenticular lens elements positioned over a composite image as viewed through the lenticular lens elements. The composite image includes a plurality of images which are interleaved so that a different image is viewed through each lens element and at different viewing angles of each lens element. By moving the product and/or changing the viewing angle, the image changes. With this type of product, the printed image under the lenticular lens array may appear as a floating 3-D image to the viewer.
In forming this 3-D optical effect, various portions of the printed image respectively constitute a right eye view of the image and a left eye view of the image when looking through the lenticular lens array thereby creating the illusion of 3-D vision in the viewer""s mind.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to produce printed products, which create the illusion of depth, three-dimensionality, and moving or floating of a printed image printed on a substrate situated beneath an array of printed lenses in the mind of a viewer.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the lenticular imaging system comprises a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface, with a plurality of images preferably printed on the top or bottom surfaces of the substrate and a plurality of spaced-apart convex lenses formed on the top or bottom surfaces of the substrate above the plurality of images. The plurality of spaced-apart convex lenses comprise a lenticular lens array that is applied directly over the plurality of images preferably printed on the top or bottom surfaces of the substrate. The images are preferably centered directly under each of the lenses of the lens array and project through the lenses when viewed by a viewer. The convex curvature of the lenses creates the appearance of depth, three-dimensionality and motion to a viewer viewing the printed article.
In another embodiment, the images are shifted in relation to the lenses of the lens array. The images may be shifted left or right so that the images are preferably no longer directly centered under each of the lenses of the lens array. In other words, the spatial frequency of the images is varied providing the appearance of depth, three-dimensionality and motion to a viewer viewing the printed article. Shifting the image lines in relation to the lenses creates the illusion of color shifting or motion in the eyes of a viewer. Images appear to move or xe2x80x9cfloatxe2x80x9d back and forth across the substrate.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the images on the substrate are preferably separated from the lenses by a fixed distance. As the distance increases toward the focal length of the lenses, the images become more focused and more magnified in the eyes of a viewer. The lenses, thus, magnify and focus the images on the substrate. Due to the focusing attributes of the lenses, the images will appear magnified and exhibit different optical characteristics depending on the angle of view of a viewer.
The lenticular imaging system embodiments of the present invention illustrate the use of a plurality of spaced-apart convex lenses that provide visual changes in images in two and three dimensions. The array of convex lenses provides the illusion of depth, three-dimensionality and motion of the images in the eyes of a viewer. The lenses of the lens array magnify the images on the substrate, and portray the images in 3-D with the additional illusions of movement or floating of images across the substrate.
Various other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be made apparent to those skilled in the art from the following drawings and detailed description of the invention.